The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-10-13
THE CAPTURE OF FLORIDA.
Prohibitionists Surprise the Land OF Flow
ers.

TALLAHASSEE, FLA, SeptemDer N.-
From Columbia and Baker counties on
the north, through Suwannee, Clay,
Alachua, Marion, Orange and Sumter to
Levy on the Gulf and to Brevard on the
Atlantic, the sale of liquor is now pro.
hibited, with half a dozen elections on
hand and more in prospect. This prac.
tical sweep of the State by the Pfohibi-
tionists has been as unexpected as it is
complete, mixing up not only the politi.
cal parties, but wiping out the color line
in such manner as to work confusion
to the slate.makers.
That prohibition would ever be reached
| in this State was never seriously consid.
cred. The natives are so far removed
from the current movements in the
North that they were not supposed to
take much interest in it. The negroes
have not been in the habit of training
with the white leaders. The great
travel from the North suggested the
advisability Of keeping we'll stocked bar
rooms in order that as much money as
possible might be retained here. The
temperance workers were unknown and
without influence, and when they sought
such legislation as would permit elec.
tions by local option for the suppression
of the liquor traffic it was not only
readily granted as the easiest method Of
getting rid ola set of cranks, but these
alleged cranks were permitted to frame
their own law. This, as will be seen
later on, is the cause of wailing and
gnashing of teeth among the liquor men
to-day.
In half dozen counties elections were
brought on under the local option law.
While the political hustings were desert.
ed the churches were filled. Strange to
say, in this land of bitter hatred between
the races, engendered during the Tilden
campaign of 1876, white preachers, often
accompanied by white female workers,
went down into the colored churches
and prayed with vim for the abolition
of the liquor traffic. The negroes were
at first amazed, and then the amazement
turned to pleasure when they found that
their votes were courted by the whites.
Colored men of prominence were appeal.
ed to to take their stand not "by" but as
"members of the better classes" In
other words, the idea was carefully
spread forth that "the Lord hath made
His people one." The liquor men, on
the other. hand, relied on the want of
interest among the natives, the "cupidity
of the Yankee settlers" and the we'll
known love of the negro for liquor to
defeat prohibition. They introduced the
Texas letter of Jefferson Davis to inau.
| ence the Ex. Confederates, but this was
Offset by letter written by Mr.. Davis to
friend in Hamilton County, in which
he declared that, while opposed to State
prohibition, he believed in the right of
every community, acting for itself, to
remove nuisances and to promote local
order.
AS the elections passed of, one by one,
the liquor men we're treated to a series of
surprises. Alachua County, second
Congo region, where negroes are as thick
as feas, went dry by clear negro ma.
jority. Orange County, the great centre
of Yankee immigration, voted to keep
liquor out. The Elk. Confederates of
Santa Rosa and Franklin found room
under JEFF. Davis's local option letter to
save their States rights scruples while
running out what the preachers charac-
terized as "the rum devil" Thus to
date fifteen elections have been held, and
of these twelve have voted dry, namely !:
Franklin, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Baker,
Polk, Columbia, Alachua, Marion, Clay,
Brevard, Orange, Gadsden and Levy.
Three counties failed to give dry ma
jority, and it was here that the liquor
men found how badly they had been
euchred by the Prohibitionists in the
framing of the law. The Act provides
that one. fourth of the voters Of "a county,
by petition to the commissioners, can
have an election within thirty days.
!. len such election is held it is by dis
tricts. If the county should 60 "wet,"
but one or two districts should happen to
vote dry, they are so declared, notwith.
standing the general result in the county.
On the other hand, if the county should
go dry, but several districts should 60
"wet," the rule is reversed, and the wet
districts are declared "dry." This makes
the Prohibition cause an evar-increasing
factor. 1t can always win, but never
loses.
Other elections are rapidly coming on.
Hillsburough County will vote IN the
3Oth, and it is foregone conclusion that
the Prohibitionists will win. Lee and
Pasco counties will vote on the 10th Of
October, and Bradford will vote four
days later. In these counties the antics
are practically making no fight, owing to
the combination of church, negro, Con.
federate and Federal.
Petitions for an election are being cir
culated in the county in which St. Au.
gustine is situated, and the old Spanish
stronghold will surrender to the ideas of
New England. In many other counties
petitions are being signed up, so that
before the winter is over it is confidently
expected that nine-tenths of Florida will
be as "dry" as whistle.
The last great fight will be in Jackson
vile, and the Prohibitionists will win.
This is owing 10 variety of causes.
The liquor element in Jacksonville is
strong and influential, but it has played